layton considers development zone along Antelope

Antone Clark, Standard-Examiner Correspondent

LAYTON — City leaders have taken the first step toward the possible redevelopment of a stretch of Antelope Drive, one of Layton’s biggest commercial thoroughfares.

A draft of a community development area for the north side of Antelope Drive from east of 220 West to 650 West was approved unanimously Thursday by the city Redevelopment Agency.

The vote is the first step necessary to potentially create a community development area, which includes North Layton Junior High School and addresses the commercial area across from Target east on Antelope to the west as far as Kmart, which is on the west side of Interstate 15. The junior high is in the heart of that target area.

Kent Andersen, an economic development specialist for the city, said he expects the draft will allow city leaders to look at creating a CDA in 2014. He said the difference between a CDA and a redevelopment area, RDA, is taxing entities have the option of participating in a CDA zone. Typically one of the benefits of creating a special economic development zone is a deferral on taxes for participating businesses for a limited time.

Andersen said the city would have to negotiate with all of the taxing entities, should it move ahead with a CDA. He said it is important to find their interests and potential level of participation in the creation on a new economic development zone.

Several city council members suggested Andersen and other economic development people look at extending the boundaries of the CDA from Antelope near the Kmart further south on Main Street. Andersen said city officials may want to look at creating a separate CDA for that region in the future.

In a work session earlier this year, Andersen outlined economic development goals for the city and outlined the possible CDA on Antelope as a prime location for commercial development but a poor spot for a school.

A planner for the Davis School District said city and district officials have talked about the North Layton school property, but he said the district would only be interested in making the move if someone were willing to pay for the cost of a new school, as part of any relocation plan. He suggested the city would have to throw a lot of money into the deal to make it workable.

One of the challenges facing the district, according to Chris Williams, district spokesman, is the district would have to find another piece of property to relocate the school. He said the district’s current bond includes no plans to find a piece of property in the area for any school relocation.

The district did sell a portion of land to the immediate east of the school, to serve as a retention pond, Williams said, but he said the district owns the remainder of the field adjacent to the junior high.